Adjustable footrest or hassock



Dec. 29, 1964 c. R. KOCH ADJUSTABLE FOOTREZST OR HASSOCK Filed March 13,1963 FIGZ CHARLES R. KOCH 6 4mm .m;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,163,468 ADJUSTABLE FOOTREST 0R HASSDQKCharles R. Koch, Richmond, Va., assignor to Crawford Manufacturing Co.,llnc., Ricond, Va. Filed Mar. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 264,898 3 Claims. (Cl.297-439) This invention relates to furnishings of the character used inthe home and in other habitable quarters including furnishings designedto provide not only for the functional necessities but for theconvenience, comfort and relaxation of the user and of a construction toforestall and relieve both physical and mental fatigue.

The invention relates particularly to a portable article of furniture inthe nature of a footstool or hassock on which the feet and lower legportions of the body may rest, the footstool or hassock comprising abase, and a relatively soft upper portion mounted for angular adjustmentthereon to accommodateand conform to the angularity of the legs ofpersons of different physical characteristics.

It has been determined that physical and mental fatigue can be reducedand relieved by relaxing in a sitting position with the feet and legselevated, and that in providing a device for such elevation it ispreferable to have a relatively broad rest or support in order that theweight may be distributed without pressure being concentrated orlocalized which might tend to block free blood circulation to theextremities of the body, the present invention contemplating a legsupporting surface which canbe adjusted to any desired angle thereby toprovide a most eiiective support.

Footstools and hassocks of many kinds have been produced some of whichwere of the generaltype of'the present invention in that they included abase and an adjustable upper portion. These hassocks have, not beenentirely satisfactory because of their unwieldiness and the fact thatthey were complicated to operate and difficult to maintain in adjustedposition.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the difliculties enumeratedand to provide an inexpensive lightweight portable stool or hassockhaving a unitary base and an upper or rest portion pivotally mountedthereon for angular adjustment in either of two extreme positions aswell as any desired intermediate position and with a readily releasableclutch for maintaining the upper or rest portion of any angularposition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively broadnon-titltable base and a relatively broad rest or upper portion, saidbase being of a single tubular or other type of member including twopairs of side posts with each pair connected along their lower portionsand with said pairs connected along their upper portions with one ofsaid last-mentioned connections having a pivotal connection with saidupper or rest portion and'a releasable gravity actuated clutch meansbetween one of the connections of the side posts and the upper or restportion of the device for securing the other edge of said rest inadjusted position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in conjunc tion with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, an enlarged side elevation;

FIG. 3, an enlarged fragmentary perspective base;

of the the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5, a section taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4. Briefly stated thepresent invention is a lightweight FIG. 4, an enlarged fragmentarysection taken along Patented Dec. 29, 1964 portable footstool or hassockhaving a relatively broad base and a relatively broad upper or restportion, the base being of one-piece tubular construction with two pairsof corner posts, each pair being connected along their lower extremitiesand the pairs being connected along their upper extremities. Along oneof the latter connections the upper or rest portion is pivoted and anadjustable attaching means is provided between the other connectingportion and the rest with such adjustable attaching portion including areadily releasable clutch means between an upright support and alaterally extending bar with an opening in which said support is adaptedto slide, the bar being mounted at one end consequently beingoverbalanced so that it operates as a clutch.

With continued reference to the drawing the present invention includes abase 10 constructed of tubular or other material and defining a pair ofinverted U-shaped side members 11 and 12 each with a pair of uprightpost portions and with such side members joined atone end by an integralcross connection ortbight portion 13.

A padded upper rest or supporting member 14 is provided with a pair ofbrackets 15 attached thereto by fasteners 16 and such brackets pivotallyreceive the big ht 'side members 11 and 12- are provided with openings19 on the inner side of each of such side members adjacent to the upperends thereof. A connecting rod 21 is disposed between the free ends ofthe side members and is adapted to have its opposite ends receivedwithin the openings 19 and 2t} and such ends extend substantiallythrough the tubular side members 11 and 12 to reduce endwise movement to'aminimum. The connecting rod 21 is freely rotatable within the openings19 and 20 and has a gravity actuated clutch-member or latch 22 fixed tothe central portion thereof in any desired manner as by spot welding orthe like. The latch 22 may have an outwardly and downwardly curvedmanipulating portion 23 disposed on one side of the connecting rod 21and a longer latching portion 24 with a clutch opening 25 thereindisposed on the opposite sideof the connecting rod 21. Due to its beingsupported from one end, the longer latching portion 24- provides anoverbalanced condition which causes it to tend to move downwardly bygravity and rotate the supporting rod 21 which causes a binding orclutching of the rod 31. When the rod 31 is raised, the frictionalengagement between the member '31 and the opening 25 of the member 22 asillustrated in FIG. 4 will retain the upper supporting member 14 inadjusted position which may be readily overcome by depressing themanipulating portion 23 and raising the portion 24 as illustrated in thedot-dash lines in said figure.

In order to adjustably connect the upper or rest member 14- to the base10, a pivot rod 27 is journalled in a pair of outer brackets 28 andreinforced by a pair of inner brackets 29 connected to the upper member14 by fasteners 30. A downwardly extending elevation rod 31 is fixed tothe central portion of the rod 27 between the inner brackets 29 whichprevent endwise movement of the rod 27. The elevation rod 31 extendsdownwardly through the opening 25 in the latch 22 and terminates in athreaded end portion 32 to which a ball or stop 33 is connected toprevent the rod 31 from being removed from the latch.

If desired, the free end of the tubular side members 11 and 12 may beclosed by plugs 34 or the like. Such plugs prevent the passage offoreign matter into the tubular side members as well as provide asupport for the upper member 14 when such member is in its lowermostposition.

site side supported by the bar between the free ends of.

the U-shapedside members to provide a bench or seat upon which a personcan sit in comfort. When desired the upper rest portion may be graspednear'the rod 27 and raised to any desired position. When the side of theupper portion is raised the rod 31* is freely movable through theopening 25 of the latch until the desired position is reached;Gravitational force acts against the longer latching portion 24 andcauses the opposite edge portions which form the opening 25 to engagethe rod 31 so that when the upper member 14' is released the edgeportions which form the opening 25 will frictionally engage and hold therod 31 tomaintain the upper member 14 in adjusted position. To releasethe upper member it is necessary only to apply a downward force to thegripping or operating portion 23,01 the bar or latch to raise the rearportion thereof and relieve the binding action in the opening 25 topermit the upper portion 14 to fall by gravity.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a footstool or hassock isprovided of practical durable construction which can be used andangularly' adjusted to the needs with minimum effort and attention.

It will'be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may bemade in the invention without departing from the spirit and-scopethereof and therefore the inven-. tion is not limited by that which isillustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but onlyas indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1'. A footstool or hassock, comprising a base, an upper rest mounted onsaid base, said base having a relatively large floor-engaging portion,and means whereby at least' a side of said upper rest maybe adjustedrelative to said' base, said meansincluding said base having a pair ofsubstantially upright supporting members, a first bar extending betweenthe upright supporting members and rotatably mounted thereon, amemberextending outwardly from said bar and tending to move downwardly underthe influence of gravity, said member having an opening therein, asecond bar, said second bar pivotally mounted on said upper rest on theside adjacent to said under the influence of gravity tending to holdsaid rodagainst downward movement, said rod being liftable to releasesaid connection.

2. A footstool or hassock comprising a base, a rest portion, hinge meanspivotally mounting said restportion on said base adjacentv one sideedge, adjustable mechanism mounting said rest portion adjacent its otherside.

edge in a manner to support said rest portion in a different angular"position, said adjustable mechanism including a member depending fromsaid rest portion, and

gravity clutch means frictionally engageable with saiddepending memberand permitting elevational adjustment in any lengthwise positionthereof, said gravity clutch means being pivotally supported by saidbase.

3. A footstool or hassock comprising a base, an upper rest portionmounted on' said base, and means whereby at least one edge of said restportion may be adjusted relative tosaid base, said means-includingrelatively movable cooperating portions, one of said cooperatingportions being pivotally supported by said base and being overbalancedto cause one end to tend' to move downwardly by gravity and the othercooperating portion being friction'ally engageable with the firstcooperating portion for securing such cooperating portions in relativelyfixed adjust-able relation in all positions of elevational adjustment. 7

References Cited by the Examiner UN ITED' STATES PATENTS 836,303 11/06Christensen 248-355 2,473,947 6/49 Hamstrom 297-423 2,483,395 10/ 49Benson 248-161 2,644,732 7/ 5-3 Westcamp 108-1 2,728,374 12/55 Whalen108-1 2,738,001 3/56 Drabert 297-423 2,869,620 1/59 Gleitsman 297-4622,907,598 10/59 Hart 248-355 2,994,364 8/61 Gleitsman et' al. 297-439FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary- Examiner.

1. A FOOTSTOOL OR HASSOCK, COMPRISING A BASE, AN UPPER REST MOUNTED ONSAID BASE, SAID BASES HAVING A RELATIVELY LARGE FLOOR-ENGAGING PORTION,AND MEANS WHEREBY AT LEAST A SIDE OF SAID UPPER REST MAY BE ADJUSTEDRELATIVE TO SAID BASE, SAID MEANS INCLUDING SAID BASE HAVING A PAIR OFSUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT SUPPORTING MEMBERS, A FIRST BAR EXTENDING BETWEENTHE UPRIGHT SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND ROTATABLY MOUNTED THEREON, A MEMBEREXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BAR AND TENDING TO MOVE DOWNWARDLY UNDERTHE INFLUENCE OF GRAVITY, SAID MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, ASECOND BAR, SAID SECOND BAR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID UPPER REST ON THESIDE ADJACENT TO SAID FIRST BAR, A ROD MEMBER RIGIDLY CONNECTED TO SAIDSECOND BAR AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREFROM, SAID ROD MEMBER PASSINGTHROUGH SAID OPENING IN SAID OUTWARDLY EXTENDING MEMBER, THE INTERNALOPENING OF SAID MEMBER AND THE DIAMETER OF SAID ROD BEING SUCH THAT SAIDROD CAN BE HELD IN FIXED POSITION IN SAID OPENING, SAID MEMBER UNDER THEINFLUENCE OF GRAVITY TENDING TO HOLD SAID ROD AGAINST DOWNWARD MOVEMENT,SAID ROD BEING LIFTABLE TO RELEASE SAID CONNECTION.